Improved supporting-column tor elevated railways



dnitd stima CHARLES T. HARVEY, AOF` TARRYTCWN, NEW YORK.

Letters .Patent No. 99,435, dated February/.1, 1870i The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES T. HARVEY, of Tarrytown, in the county of Westchester, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Supporting-Columns for Elevated Railroads; and

- I do hereby-declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which'drawingv v l' Figure 1 represents a sectional front view of this invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sect-ion of the same.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This Vinvention relates to a novel construction of column, intended principally for supporting the track Fof an elevated railroad In the drawingrIhe letterA designates a column, which is composed of two (orhmore) solid wrought-iron rods, a, which are secured in sockets b, in the base-plate B.

This base-plate is, by preference, made of cast-iron, and it is provided with two bosses, of considerable height, which are bored or cored out Ito form the sockets b, and by these means, sockets of sutlicient depth t are obtained, to render the position ofthe rods a rur and steady.

lhe bosses l) are connected bya rib, o, which ma; terially, increases the firmness of the said bosses, and also the stiffness and supportiug-power ofthe haseplate B.

The rods a are either made of round, square, or

K polygonal iron, or they may be construct-ed, each, of

two or more iianged pieces of sheet-metal or rollediron, and they can be secured in their sockets, by casting lead around their lower ends; but I' prefer to secure them therein by means of keys, d, which allow of raising or depressing either of the rods, furthe purpose of levelling the top of the column independently ofthe position ofthe base-plate. .lhe rods can be raised by placing fiat rings or disks in the bottoms of the sockets, so as to lessen their depth, and thereby linit the extent to which the rods are allowed to sink down in them.

The sockets b areA slightly converging, so that the rods a, onbeing secured in said sockets, incline'in- \vard,'as shown in fig. 1, and the upper ends of the rods are curved outward, so that they form a bearing, of suiicient width for the railroad track.

lcured to each other, in any suitable manner.

The rails are secured to a frame, C, which is fastened tothc topends of the rods a, and, in order to obtain good bearings for said frame, and to connect` the top ot' my improved column theretov securely, I provide the under side of the frame with bosses, F, which are bored or cored out to form sockets, 71., to receive and couliue the flaring upper ends ot' therods a, substantially in the same manner as the lower ends of the rods, the rods and sockets being keyed orsse au frame also assists in strengthening the column, since by it, the rods a are rmly united. To increase the strength and stabilit-y of my column,

I connect the rods a, composing such column, by

straps e f, and cross-brace q, one of the straps being applied to those parts of the rods which are closest together, while another strap embraces the fiaringends of said rods,and is connected to the first strap by the braces g, as shown in fig. I. As many straps are used as are necessary for security.

Between the rods a, and at suitable distance from the ground, may be fastened a lantern, D, and amailbox, E.

By these means, a very irm, durable, and strong column can `be'made, which, on account of its comparatively light weight, can be made at much less cost than a solid or tubular column of equal streng-th.

Having thusdescribedmy invention,

What l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A supporting-column, constructed of two or more solid rods, a, secured in sockets b of the base-plate B, substautiall y asl described.

2. The. arrangement, of der side of' the rail-frame C, in combination with the rods composing the column, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of braces g and fastening of straps e f, or equivalents, with a supportingcoluxnn, A, substantially as described.

4. The employment of rings or equivalent devices, in connection with the base-plate B b, and rods d a, for the purpose of levelling said rod, as setforth.

This speccation signed this 24th day of May, 1869.

CHARLES T. HARVEY.

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, C. WAHLnRs.

the sockets h, on the un 

